Log-turner for low mills.



PATENTED OUT. 25, 1904.

E. E. THOMAS.

LOG TURNER FOR LOW MILLS.

APPLICATION FILED OGT.10,1903.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented October 25, 1904.

ATENT rrrcis.

EDIVIN E. THOMAS, OF TACOMA, IVASHINGTON, ASSIGNOR TO VVIL- LAMETTE IRON & STEEL WVORKS, OF PORTLAND, OREGON, A

CORPORATION.

LOG-TURNER FOR LOW MILLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 773,437, dated October 25, 1904.

Application filed October 10 1903.

I [bi/Z whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN E. THOMAS, of Tacoma, county of Pierce, State of W ashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Log-Turners for Low Mills, of which the following is a specification.

In sawmills as usually constructed an excavation is provided beneath the log-carriage and the front of the log-deck, forminga basement wherein the mechanism for operating a steam log loader and turner is placed. It is frequently difficult or undesirable to provide a basement for a mill, owing sometimes to the character of the ground where the mill is located; and the primary object, therefore, of my invention is to provide an apparatus for operating the log-turner which can be placed in a ground-mill or one without any excavation under it, but can also be used in a twostory mill, if desired.

The invention consists generally in various constructions and combinations, all as hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, forming part of this specification, the figure represents a side elevation of a log-turning apparatus embodying my invention.

In the drawing, 2 represents a log-deck, and 3 the carriage, supported upon a suitable track 1 in front of the deck.

5 is an engine-cylinder horizontally arranged upon a timber 6 beneath the log-deck and provided with a suitable valve mechanism 7, by means of which the flow of steam into the cylinder is controlled. The piston 8 of the cylinder 5 is connected with a sliding cross-head 9, also supported upon the timber 6, and said cross-head is pivotally connected to a bar 10, to which a slightly-curved bar 11 is secured and provided with aseries of teeth 12, mounted therein in the usual manner and adapted to engage the surface of the log when the bar 11 is raised above thelevel of thelogdeck. A suitable brace 18 connects the bars and 11. Beneath the cylinderoisasecond cylinder 14, having a valve 14 and supported on a Serial No. 176,473. (No model.)

timber 15 and having its piston connected with a sliding cross-head 17, also supported on said timber. A bell-crank. 18 is pivoted on a timber 19 and is pivotally connected to said cross-head and to one end of a link 20, whose opposite end is secured to the bar 13 near its upper end.

The operation of the device is as follows:

Steam being admitted to the cylinders, the

frame composed of the bars 10, 11, and 13 will be oscillated on its pivot and swung to a position above the log-deck, and the teeth ,12 engaging the surface of the log will turn it to the desired position.

It will be noted that the apparatus is very compact in form and occupies but little space beneath the log deck and being arranged horizontally does away entirely with the necessity of excavating-a basement beneath the mill.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination,with a log-deck and carriage, of the engine-cylinders horizontally arranged beneath the same, sliding cross-heads whereto said cylinder-pistons are connected, a log-turner frame pivoted on one of said cross-heads and having a series of teeth adapted to engage the surface of a log, a bell-crank pivotally connected with the other cross-head, and a link pivotally connecting said bell-crank and said log-turner frame.

2. The combination, with a log-deck, of engine-cylinders horizontally arranged one above the other below said deck. cross-heads whereto the pistons of said cylinders are connected, a log-turner frame pivoted to the cross-head of the upper engine and having a series of teeth arranged to be projected above the log-deck, a bell-crank pivotally supported between said cross-heads and having a pivotal connection with the lower one, and a link pivotally connecting said bell-crank with said log-turner frame.

3. A log-turning device for low mills, comprising in combination, a frame arranged beneath the log-deck and having a series of logturning teeth, a fluid-motor horizontally arranged below the log-deck and having its piston pivotally connected with said frame to operate the same horizontally, a second fluidlnotor also horizontally arranged below said first-named motor, and a bell-crank mechanism connecting the piston of said second motor and said frame to operate the same vertically.

L. The combination, with a log-deck, of engine-cylinders horizontally arranged one above the other beneath said deck, a log-turner pivotally connected at one end to the piston of the upper cylinder and having a series of log-turning teeth at its other end, said logturner being normally horizontal and adapted to be moved toward or from the carriage by the action of said upper cylinder-piston, and a mechanism interposed between said logturner and the piston of said lower engine and adapted to move said turner vertically against the log when the horizontal movement of said turner toward the carriage is completed.

5. A log-turning device for low mills comprising, in combination, a frame having aseries of log-turning teeth, an engine horizontally arranged and having its piston pivotally connected with said frame to operate the same horizontally, a second engine also horizontally arranged, and a mechanism interposed between said frame and the piston of said second engine and adapted to move said frame and teeth vertically against the log when the horizontal movement of said frame is completed, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 29th day of September, 1908.

EDWIN E. THOMAS.

In presence of HERBERT S. Games, E. G. CONNIGK. 

